In 1992, “In the Life,” a monthly LGBTQ-themed news magazine, was first broadcast on PBS affiliates across the country. For 20 years, the show would share the stories of both gay history and contemporary LGBTQ people, and now more than 200 episodes and thousands more hours of interviews and other source material are now available for viewing online, thanks to the ONE Archive at the University of Southern California.

John Scagliotti, the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, recalled the fight to get the program on air during a period he termed “the new gay ‘90s,” when interest in gay history grew substantially.

“I fought the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to get us on PBS,” he recalled while on the Pride of the Ocean film festival. “We were, for the first time, reaching the homes of so many 16- and 17-year-old kids who may have been struggling with their sexual orientation and could realize that they weren’t alone.”

Many LGBTQ activists, entertainers, athletes and allies either hosted or were profiled in the episodes, including Lea DeLaria, Madonna, Gavin Newsom, Nancy Grace, RuPaul, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Judy Shepard, Billie Jean King, Lady Bunny, Larry Kramer and Margaret Cho.

Former executive producers John Catania and Charles Ignacious, now Wilton Manors residents, had been entrusted by the non-profit board that oversaw production of the series with finding a home for the “In the Life” library.

“Over the years, thousands of donors have mailed in $10 and $20 contributions to fund the show,” said Catania. “The show belongs to the community and the community deserves access to it.”

The ONE LGBTQ archives does not charge filmmakers and educational organizations licensing fees to use the material. Ignacious also pointed out that copyrights have also been bequeathed to the archives, eliminating a major challenge for filmmakers.

“As someone who has fought for material all my life, it’s wonderful to know that young filmmakers can go to this and use it in their works. This is just the tip of the archives. There are films to be made with everything that we touch,” said Scagliotti.

To view complete episodes, segments or unedited interviews from the “In the Life” collection, go to ONE.usc.edu.

In 1992, “In the Life,” a monthly LGBTQ-themed news magazine, was first broadcast on PBS affiliates across the country. For 20 years, the show would share the stories of both gay history and contemporary LGBTQ people, and now more than 200 episodes and thousands more hours of interviews and other source material are now available for viewing online, thanks to the ONE Archive at the University of Southern California.

John Scagliotti, the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, recalled the fight to get the program on air during a period he termed “the new gay ‘90s,” when interest in gay history grew substantially.

“I fought the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to get us on PBS,” he recalled while on the Pride of the Ocean film festival. “We were, for the first time, reaching the homes of so many 16- and 17-year-old kids who may have been struggling with their sexual orientation and could realize that they weren’t alone.”

Many LGBTQ activists, entertainers, athletes and allies either hosted or were profiled in the episodes, including Lea DeLaria, Madonna, Gavin Newsom, Nancy Grace, RuPaul, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Judy Shepard, Billie Jean King, Lady Bunny, Larry Kramer and Margaret Cho.

Former executive producers John Catania and Charles Ignacious, now Wilton Manors residents, had been entrusted by the non-profit board that oversaw production of the series with finding a home for the “In the Life” library.
“Over the years, thousands of donors have mailed in $10 and $20 contributions to fund the show,” said Catania. “The show belongs to the community and the community deserves access to it.”

The ONE LGBTQ archives does not charge filmmakers and educational organizations licensing fees to use the material. Ignacious also pointed out that copyrights have also been bequeathed to the archives, eliminating a major challenge for filmmakers.

“As someone who has fought for material all my life, it’s wonderful to know that young filmmakers can go to this and use it in their works. This is just the tip of the archives. There are films to be made with everything that we touch,” said Scagliotti.

To view complete episodes, segments or unedited interviews from the “In the Life” collection, go to ONE.usc.edu.